"Oh, Aqua, it's another girl again?"
Director Gotanda's voice rang out with that familiar teasing lilt the moment he opened the door and found me standing there with Akane at my side.
His eyes sparkled with barely concealed amusement, the old bastard clearly enjoying himself.
"Again?" Akane's head swiveled between us, her brows knitting in confusion.
She hadn't caught on yet—hadn't realized what kind of man she was dealing with.
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Well, previously, I also brought Arima Kana here."
The effect was immediate.
Akane's eyes widened, suddenly sparkling with something I hadn't expected. "That Arima Kana? The one who used to be a child actor? Do you know her, Aqua?"
There it was—that flicker of genuine excitement, the kind reserved for meeting someone connected to your heroes.
A fangirl, then.
Or at least someone who held Kana in high regard.
I answered honestly.
There was no point hiding it.
"Yes. It's her. She's also my classmate at school."
Before Akane could pepper me with more questions—and I could see she had them, burning behind those bright eyes—Director Gotanda clapped his hands together sharply, the sound cutting through the morning air.
"Ahem, kids. Don't just stand there in the doorway like lost puppies. Let's go inside. You're letting all the warm air out."
We nodded and stepped past him into the familiar warmth of his home.
The smell of miso soup and grilled fish immediately wrapped around us, homey and inviting.
His mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, her face lighting up with genuine welcome.
"Taishi, why didn't you tell me you were expecting guests?" She scolded lightly, already bustling toward us. "Please, come in, come in! Sit at the table. Have you eaten breakfast yet? I made plenty."
Before we could protest, she was already disappearing back into the kitchen, the sounds of clinking bowls and sizzling following her.
We sat at the breakfast table, the same one where I'd sat with Kana not so long ago.
Akane's eyes roamed the room, taking in the modest surroundings, and I could see the same question forming behind her expression that Kana had worn: Why does a grown man like Director Gotanda still live with his mother?
She didn't ask, though.
Good girl.
Polite.
But I could see the clock ticking in my mind.
We needed privacy, and we needed it soon.
I glanced at Akane's plate—she'd barely touched the food, just pushed it around politely.
She'd already eaten, or was too nervous to eat.
Either way, lingering over a meal we wouldn't finish was wasting time.
"Director." I set my chopsticks down and met his eyes directly. "I need privacy. I need to talk with her without anyone bothering us."
Director Gotanda's eyebrows shot up.
He looked between us, a slow, knowing grin spreading across his weathered face.
"What are you planning to do, kid?" He leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You want to use my house for something like that? Look, kid, I know at your age the urges can be strong, but damn—get a hotel or something. Don't use my house for your romantic rendezvous."
My face darkened instantly.
Heat crept up my neck.
"Director—"
But Akane was faster.
Her face flushed crimson, but she pushed through the embarrassment, her voice rushing out in a desperate explanation. "No, no, no! Director, that's not it at all! We just want to talk. If it's bothering you, we'll leave. I was the one who asked for this. Aqua-kun is just trying to help me, that's all!"
Director Gotanda stared at her for a long, heavy moment.
Then he burst out laughing, the sound booming through the small house.
He slapped my shoulder hard enough to sting, his eyes watering with mirth. "Don't you see, kid? She bought it! Hook, line, and sinker!"
I deadpanned, not even bothering to react. "He's just joking, Akane. He knows more about me than I do, probably."
Akane's flush deepened impossibly further.
She ducked her head, voice muffled. "Sorry..."
"Why so serious, kid?" Director Gotanda's humor faded, his eyes turning solemn as they settled on Akane.
He studied her for a moment—really looked at her, the way he looked at actors when he was deciding if they had what it took.
Then he nodded, apparently satisfied with what he saw.
"Since it's serious," he said quietly, "use the room upstairs. The one at the end of the hall. No one will bother you there."
We both nodded, genuine gratitude washing over our expressions. "Thank you, Director."
He smiled warmly at us, then leaned in close as I passed, his voice dropping to a whisper meant only for my ears.
"Go get her, kid. She's a good girl. I can tell."
I didn't respond.
There was nothing to say.
He strutted toward the kitchen, already shouting over his shoulder. "Mother! They're leaving! Leave all the food to me!"
"What did you say, Taishi?!" His mother's outraged voice echoed from the kitchen, followed by the sound of a ladle clattering against a pot.
We ignored the domestic chaos behind us and climbed the narrow stairs, following the director's directions until we found the room at the end of the hall.
I pushed the door open—a simple, modest space with a low table, two cushions, and a window overlooking the quiet neighborhood.
Akane stepped inside after me, and the moment the door slid shut, she let out a long, shaky breath.
Her shoulders dropped, tension bleeding out of her frame.
"Finally," she murmured, almost to herself. "Just the two of us."
She turned to face me, and when her eyes met mine, they were different.
Softer.
More vulnerable.
The careful composure of an actress—gone.
In their place was simply Akane.
Just Akane.
"Aqua-kun," she said quietly, her voice carrying a weight that made the room feel smaller, more intimate. "Can we talk now?"
Okay, girl.
I thought, momentarily struck by the intensity in her gaze.
You're looking at me like a virgin nervously asking her boyfriend if he's ready to take the next step.
Even the loli goddess, ever present in the shadows of my mind, couldn't resist.
"Go on, Aqua," she purred, her voice dripping with saccharine encouragement. "Take her. Lay her down. Lewd her until she forgets her own name."
"Shut up, you dirty loli." I roared back internally, the mental shout carrying enough force to momentarily silence her cackling.
But on the outside, my face remained calm.
Composed.
My eyes stayed fixed on Akane, steady and present.
"Now, Akane." I kept my voice low, measured—a container wide enough to hold whatever she needed to pour out. "Tell me what's been bothering you lately. I might be able to help. I might not. But at the very least, I'll be someone you can talk to. Someone who'll actually listen."
She held my gaze, her own eyes firm despite the tremor in her hands. "You've arranged all of this for me, Aqua-kun. You've gone this far."
A pause, a swallow.
"How could I possibly back out now?"
She took a breath—deep, steadying—and then she began.
She began to talk in detail about why she was desperate enough to steal the spotlight or forcefully insert herself into scenes in the show.
And I listened. I listened to every word, every pause, every shaky breath and barely suppressed sob.
The loli goddess, for once, was silent.
...
Note: Yeah, I'm not sure if I've fully recovered yet, but I think I have. Honestly, I was sick for nearly three weeks, almost a month and it was really annoying. I couldn't write or read any serious novel because of it.
At one point, I miscalculated and thought I could recovered for about a week, but I caught the virus again while visiting my relatives, which made my condition worse.
Luckily, I can write again now, though very slowly, since my head still hurts sometimes.
Power Stones and Reviews. Don't forget to rate it five stars and throw all of your stones. Thanks!